摩訶止觀 2.35

2.35

今歷文修觀，言「六牙白象」者，是菩薩無漏六神通。牙有利用，如通之捷疾；象有大力，表法身荷負；無漏、無染，稱之為白。頭上三人，一持金剛杵，一持金剛輪，一持如意珠，表三智居無漏頂（云云）。杵擬象能行，表慧導行；輪轉表出假；如意表中。牙上有池，表八解，是禪體；通是定用，體用不相離故。牙端有池，池中有華，華表妙因，以神通力淨佛國土，利益眾生，即是因。因從通生，如華由池發。華中有女，女表慈。若無無緣慈，豈能以神通力促身令小，入此娑婆？通由慈運，如華擎女。女執樂器，表四攝也。慈修身口，現種種同事、利行、財法二施，引物多端；如五百樂器音聲無量也。示喜見身者，是普現色身三昧也。隨所宜樂而為現之，未必純作白玉之像。語言陀羅尼者，即是慈熏口說種種法也，皆「法華三昧」之異名，得此意於象身上，自在作法門也。

Now, following the text to cultivate contemplation: the 'white elephant with six tusks' refers to the bodhisattva's six undefiled supernatural powers. The tusks have sharp utility, like the swift agility of the supernatural powers; the elephant has great strength, symbolizing the load-bearing capacity of the dharmakāya; being undefiled and untainted, it is called 'white'. The three figures upon its head—one holding a vajra pestle, one holding a vajra wheel, and one holding a wish-fulfilling jewel—symbolize the three wisdoms dwelling at the summit of the undefiled (and so forth). The pestle signifies that the elephant can advance, symbolizing wisdom guiding action; the turning wheel symbolizes emerging into the provisional; the wish-fulfilling jewel symbolizes the middle. Upon the tusks there are pools, symbolizing the eight liberations, which are the essence of dhyāna; supernatural powers are the function of concentration, because essence and function are not separated. At the tips of the tusks there are pools, and in the pools there are flowers; the flowers symbolize the wondrous cause: purifying the Buddha lands with the power of supernatural powers and benefiting sentient beings is the cause. The cause arises from supernatural powers, just as flowers issue from the pool. Within the flowers there are women; women symbolize compassion. Were it not for unconditioned compassion, how could one use supernatural power to shrink the body and make it small, entering this Sahā world? Supernatural powers are moved by compassion, just as the flowers uphold the women. The women hold musical instruments, symbolizing the four means of embracing. Cultivating body and speech through compassion, manifesting various joint actions, beneficial conduct, and the two gifts of material wealth and Dharma, guides beings in manifold ways; just as five hundred musical instruments produce immeasurable sounds. Displaying the body delightful to behold is the samādhi of universally manifesting physical forms. It is manifested according to what is agreeable, and is not necessarily exclusively an image of white jade. The language dhāraṇī is speech perfumed by compassion expounding various Dharmas. These are all different names for the 'Lotus Samādhi'; if one grasps this meaning regarding the elephant's body, one can freely construct Dharma gates upon it.